THE CHAIR ASKS STATE OF POLICING
In a thought-provoking conversation, Steve Hartshorn speaks to HM Inspector of Constabulary and HM Inspector of Fire and Rescue Services Andy Cooke about the changes needed to restore public confidence, building up workforce morale and the importance of more research surrounding stop and search
Steve Hartshorn (SH): In your recently published ‘State of Policing’ annual assessment you called for legislative powers to inspect policing functions delivered by police and crime commissioners. Why do you believe HMICFRS needs legislative power? Andy Cooke (AC): We are calling on the Government to give us more powers to improve policing, including allowing me as chief inspector to give direction to a police force in circumstances where there are serious public safety concerns. We already make recommendations to forces which specify what forces should do to address failings that we have identified. The key difference would be making it mandatory, not optional, for forces to act upon what we have said when we identify significant risks to the public. On most occasions police forces listen
to our recommendations and make improvements. But on too many occasions, forces have failed to act or not acted quickly enough. We would be able to say what forces must do, instead of what they should do. This change would make reforms happen quicker and ensure the public are kept safe. I am calling for the power to direct forces only in very limited circumstances where we identify a failing that poses a significant risk to public safety. With regards to PCCs, it is not about inspecting the statutory functions of PCCs, it is about inspecting the policing functions which we have seen PCCs are increasingly delivering, such as victim and witness services. An area of policing should not become exempt from inspection simply because it is starts being provided by a PCC or a third-party instead of by the chief constable.
Regardless of who provides a function, 22 | POLICE | OCTOBER | 2023
we have a responsibility to ensure the public are getting the service they deserve.
SH: Your report also identified public confidence in policing is at its lowest. What steps do you think the police
“Regardless of who provides a function, we have a responsibility to ensure the public are getting the service they deserve”
service needs to take to rebuild confidence? AC: The vast majority of police officers and staff are dedicated professionals who work tirelessly to serve the public. But public trust and confidence are unacceptably low. There are some obvious and truly atrocious reasons for the decline in trust. This includes horrific crimes recently
committed by serving officers and other instances of misconduct. Barely a day goes by that you do not see a story in the news about another disgraced police officer. It is obvious vetting, misconduct and cultural issues need to be swiftly addressed. But the reasons behind the drop in public trust go far beyond this. The police service is a complex system operating within an even more complex criminal
justice system. There are widespread systemic failings in both. For a variety of reasons, police forces
are not always focusing their limited resources on the issues which matter most to the communities they serve. They must start to do so. The police and wider criminal justice system aren’t getting the basics right.
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